Wall or partition construction



July 22, 1941. F. 'SYLVESTER WM OR PARTITION CONSTRUCTION 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 7

y 1941- L. F". SYLVESTER 2,250,401

WALL QR PARTIT'IQN CONSTRUCTIQM Filed CIc-t '7, 1959* 3 Sheets-Sheet s Patented July 22, 1941 GFFICE WALL R PARTITION CONSTRUCTION Louis F. Sylvester, Teaneck, N. J., assignor of I one-half to Max Platt, Bayonne, N. J.

Application October 7, 1939, Serial No. 298,480

Claims.

My invention relates to an improved wall or partition construction of the type comprising a metal base structure, metal studs, and means for anchoring the upper ends of said studs to the ceiling, said studs forming a support for metal lath which receives the plaster constituting the body of the wall or partition, and said base structure, in addition to means for anchoring the lower ends of said studs, comprising as a part thereof a base plate or plates forming the lower terminal edge portions of the finished wall surface.

More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in the metal base per se, which is applicable in principle not only to the construction of walls and partitions as a whole, but also to the finishing of solid walls made, for example, from terra cotta, concrete block, etc., either with or without furring.

A principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a novel and improved metal base of the type set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved form of ceiling runner constituting the means for anchoring the upper ends of the metal studs in a wall or partition structure of the character set forth.

The invention, howevenresides primarily in the structural form and details of the metal base as illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a section of a wall structure made in accordancewith my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 isa side elevational view of a section of the upper portion of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a fragment of the ceiling runner;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a clip forming an element of the metal base;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view illustrating application of the base for provision of metal furring for solid walls;

Fig. '7 is a view in perspective of a modified form of clip for use in the construction shown in Fig. 6; i

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the use of an essential element of the base for plaster surfacing of solid walls without furring;

Fig. 9 is a verticalsectional view illustrating a modification of the base structure as employed for surface-finishing solid walls with wood furring;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary View in perspective of the studs 2.

showing details of one of the elements of construction shown in Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a detail of construction hereinafter described.

With reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the structure therein disclosed comprises a metal base designated generally by the reference numeral l metal studs 2 the lower ends of which are anchored in the base I, and a member 3 which in assembly is secured to the ceiling in parallel alignment with the base I and which is formed to receive and to anchor the upper ends As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the studs 2 constitute a support for metal lath 4, which in the present instance is secured to the studs by means of wire clips 5.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the base structure I comprises an upright elongated channel 6 which is adapted to be secured to the floor l by means of nails or other suitable securing elements 8. The lower ends of the studs 2, which in the present instance are of channel form, seat in the channel 6, and it will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the space between the upturned flanges 9 of the channel 6 is slightly greater than the overall breadth of the studs 2, so that when the latter occupy a central position in the channel 6, a free space is afforded between the sides of the stud and-the said flanges 9 of the'base channel 6.

The base structure I comprises also two base plates H, H; the upper and lower longitudinal edges of which are turned backwardly'and inwardly to form converging flanges l2 and IS. The terminal edge portions of the flanges 12 are turned outwardly into parallelinity with the body of the base plate, and these terminal flanges M in assembly are inserted between the side flanges 9 of the base channel 6 and the adjoining sides of the studs 2. In each case, the terminal edge of the flange l3 lies in the plane of the outer face of the flange It, so that in assembly this terminal edge also bears against a side of the studs 2, and the flange I3 is provided with a longitudinal series of slotted openings l5 for reception of U-clips l6 which function to hold the upper ends of the side plates H in position. Preferably the slots E5 of the respective series are spaced apart to an extent corresponding to the thickness of the studs 2, so that when the studs and against the stud 2 will help to anchor the studs securely in the base.

It will be noted that in the construction as described, the lower eXtremities of the studs are confined between the terminal portions I4, M of the side plates H, which interlock with the upstanding flanges 9 of the base channel 6; and that at the top of the base structure the studs are confined between the terminal edges of the flanges l3, iii of the side plates H and between the proximate edges of the adjoining clips l6. The construction is such as to insure proper vertical positioning of the side plates H in the structure and the proper maintenance of these side plates in that position. I

As shown in the drawings, the top anchor member or ceiling runner 3 is in the form of an angle bar, one flange against the ceiling by means, in the present instance, of nails I8 which are driven through elongated slots l9 in the flange H. The depending somewhat extended flange 2| of the member 3 is provided with a longitudinal series of pressed-out straps 22, see Fig. 4, together with a corresponding series of vertical slots 23, each of said slots being centrally located with respect to the corresponding strap 22.

L1 assembly, the transverse web 24 of the channel stud 2 passes into the slot 23, while one side flange 25 of the stud is confined between the strap 22 and the adjoining face of the depend-' ing flange 2|. In this manner, the upper ends of the stud are anchored securely at the ceiling. The slots l9 provide for longitudinal adjustment of the member 3 to bring the straps 22 and slots 23 into proper alignment with the studs 2 in the positions in which the latter are supported in the base I, and the relative depth of the flange 2| of the member 3 and of the slots 23 compensates for any reasonable departure from the normal parallel relation of the floor and ceiling between which the wall structure is installed.

In Figs. 6 and '7, I have illustrated the metal base as it may be employed in plaster finishing of solid walls. In this case, the floor channel 6 is secured in position at the base of the wall 26. The studs 2 in this instance function to support the metal lath 4, which thus constitutes a furring to which the plaster surface is applied in the usual manner. The base plate interlooks at the bottom with the outer flange 9 of the floor channel 6, and the plate is supported in the upright position again-st the studs 2 by means of clips 27. As shown in Fig. 7, these clips assume in general the form of the clips l6 previously described, but in this instance are slotted from one end so as to provide bifurcations 28, 28, which in assembly pass on opposite sides of the studs 2, the depending bifurcated extremities 29 being engaged in the slotted apertures I of the upper flange |3 of the plate. In this manner, the clips 21' function to anchor the upper edge of the plate securely to the studs.

Where it is preferred to apply a plaster finish directly to the solid wall, I prefer to employ the device illustrated in Fig. 8. In this instance, the rear edges of the flanges I2 and l3 of the base plate abut directly against the surface of the wall 3|. The plate is held in position by means of wire clips 32, the upper ends of which are secured to the wall by means of anchoring wires or staples 33 and which extend downwardly through the apertures l5 in the upper flange, and through corresponding apertures 34 in the lower flange of the plate. The lower end of the ll of which is secured clip 32 is, in the present instance, embedded in the floor 35 whereby the said plate is anchored solidly in place.

Where wood furring is employed, I prefer to use a type of clip illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. This clip consists of a metal plate 36 which may be secured by screws 31 to the outer faces of the wood furring strips 38. Each of the clips is provided towards its lower end with an oliset upturned hook-like flange 39, and toward the top with a pressed-out tongue 4|. The flange 39 functions, as shown in Fig. 9, to interlock with the terminal flange M of the base plate while the tongue 4| extends at the inside of the upper flange |3 of the plate and is hooked through one of the apertures l5 of said flange. The clip 36 thereby functions to anchor both the upper and lower flanges of the plate H to the furring strip and rigidly supports the plate in the desired upright position.

In Fig. 11, I have illustrated the manner in which adjoining base plate sections may be secured in accurately aligned end-abutting relation. This is accomplished by means of a splice plate 42 which is inserted in the ends of the adjoining plates and between the upper and lower flanges I2 and |3 as illustrated. The plate thus projected and fitted snugly into the abutted ends of the adjoining plates holds the plates rigidly in accurate alignment.

I claim:

1. In a wall construction, a plurality of spaced vertically disposed studs; a floor channel provided with spaced upstanding marginal flanges for receiving the lower ends of-said studs; wash plates extending along opposite sides of said studs and channel, each of said wash plates including a substantially vertical central portion having an inturned flange at each of its upper and lower edges, the inner edges of the inturned flanges at the upper edges of said wash plates bearing directly against opposite sides of said studs, and the lower inturned flanges of said wash plates terminating in downwardly directed flanges bearing directly against opposite sides of said studs and being disposed within said floor channel between the inner surfaces of the upstanding marginal flanges of the floor channel and the outer sides of said studs so as to prevent displacement of the lower edges of the plates; and clamping means for maintaining the upper flanges of said wash plates against the opposite sides of the studs.

2. In a wall construction, a plurality of spaced vertically disposed studs; a floor channel provided with spaced, upstanding marginal flanges for receiving the lower ends of said studs; wash plates extending along opposite sides of said studs and channel, each of said Wash plates including a substantially vertical central portion having an inturned flange at each of its upper and lower edges, the inner edges of the inturned flanges at the upper edges of said wash plates bearing directly against opposite sides of said studs, and the lower inturnedflanges of said wash plates terminating in downwardly directed flanges bearing directly against opposite sides of said studs, the distance between the upstanding flanges of the floor channel being slightly greater than the width of the studs so as to provide narrow spaces between the sides of the studs and said flanges, the said downwardly directed flanges being disposed within said floor channel and in said narrow spaces so as to prevent displacement of the lower edges of the wash plates; and clamping means for maintaining the upper flanges of said wash plates against the opposite sides of the studs.

3. In a wall construction, a plurality of spaced vertically disposed studs; a floor channel provided with an upstanding marginal flange for the reception of the lower ends of said studs; a wash plate extending along one side of said channel and on one side of said studs, said wash plate including a substantially vertical central portion having inturned flanges at its upper and lower edges, the inner edge of said inturned flange at the upper edge of said wash plate bearing directly against the sides of said studs, and the lower flange of said wash plate terminating in a downwardly directed flange bearing directly against the sides of said studs and being disposed within said floor channel between the inner surface of the upstanding marginal flange of the floor channel and the sides of said studs so as to prevent displacement of the lower edge of said wash plate; and clamping means for maintaining the upper flange of said wash plate against the sides of said studs.

4. In a wall construction, a plurality of spaced vertically disposed studs; a floor channel provided with upstanding marginal flanges for the reception of the lower ends of said studs; a wash plate extending along one side of said studs and channel and including a substantially vertical central portion having inturned flanges at its upper and lower edges, the inner edge of the inturned flange at the upper edge of said wash plate bearing directly against the outer sides of said studs, and the lower inturned flange of said wash plate terminating in a downwardly directed flange bearing directly against the outer sides of said studs, the distance between the upstanding flanges of the floor channel being slightly greater than the width of the studs so as to provide a narrow space between the outer sides of the studs and the outer upstanding marginal flange of the floor channel, the said downwardly directed flange being disposed within said floor channel and in said narrow space so as to prevent displacement of the lower edge of said wash plate; and clamping means for maintaining the upper flange of said wash plate against the outer sides of said studs.

5. A metal base plate for wall structures, said plate having a longitudinally-extending central section forming the efiective face of the plate and terminating at each longitudinal edge thereof in inturned flanges disposed on one side of said central section, the included angle between each of the flanges and the respective adjacent portions of said central section being less than 90, one of said flanges having thereon a longitudinally disposed series of apertures, and the other of said flanges terminating at its free edge in an outwardly extending flange, the rear surface of which lies in a common plane with the free edge of said apertured flange, which plane is substantially parallel to the plane of said central section.

LOUIS F. SYLVESTER. 

